Mildura Weekly – 03/01/14 57
www.milduraphonebook.com.au
By ADAM LUITJES
ALTHOUGH it’s not a major
sport in Sunraysia, don’t let
diving’s low profile fool you.
The Olympic sport is a
mixture of fitness, acrobatics
and gymnastics, and definite-
ly not for the faint-hearted.
Participants dive from
platforms up to 10 metres
high, and are required to ex-
ecute a (various) degree of
difficulty dive within a few
seconds of hitting the water.
Poor judgement and tim-
ing can lead to serious in-
jury, with even the world’s
best known divers coming a
‘cropper.’
For 35 years Diving Sun-
raysia head coach Leanne
Morgan has overseen Sun-
raysia’s talent, and says the
region has a proud diving
history.
“We are always very com-
petitive,” she said. “Every
year we place well at State
and national level, which is
a fantastic effort considering
we only have access to diving
for five months of the year.
“The rest of the time is
spent on a trampoline har-
ness, where we work on tech-
nique and sequence.”
Leanne, an Australian
Coaching Council level two
coach, says it’s hard attract-
ing new members to the
high-intensity sport.
“The popularity of diving
goes in cycles,” she said. “We
have 10 competitors aged be-
tween 10 and 32, and have
welcomed two new members
this year, which is encourag-
ing.
“It can become very frus-
trating when we lose talented
divers, especially teenagers,
because they are the life-
blood of the sport.”
Along with fellow coach
‘Stubbs’ Rae, Leanne has ded-
icated her life to the sport,
and says she wouldn’t have it
any other way.
“Diving is my passion,”
she said. “I started as a diver,
began coaching when I was
15, and haven’t looked back.
“I still get a big buzz
watching a diver’s head pop
out of the water with a beam-
ing smile, after they have
completed a new dive for the
first time.
“It’s very rewarding help-
ing these talented athletes
achieve their goals.”
After an eight-year hiatus
from diving, Kiera Batten,
27, recently returned to the
springboard, and says she’s
enjoying being back in the
water.
“I’m very happy diving
again,” she said. “For four
years I dived at Pymble La-
dies College in Sydney, but
once I left school I concen-
trated on University studies,
and diving took a back seat.
“When I arrived in Mil-
dura for work, I heard about
Diving Sunraysia and imme-
diately signed up.
“I competed in my first
national championships this
year, and although I was a bit
rusty, it was awesome com-
peting again.”
The Mildura Base Hospi-
tal dietician believes diving
offers many health benefits.
“Diving is a fantastic form
of exercise,” she said. “It’s a
great work-out because every
dive requires body strength,
core strength and flexibility.
“Mentally it’s also very
challenging because it takes
you out of your comfort
zone.
“Looking down from a
seven metre diving tower can
be very daunting, but once
you commit, the adrenaline
kicks in and you just go for
it.”
Having re-ignited her div-
ing passion, Kiera believes
more people should follow
in her footsteps, and give the
sport a go.
“We’d love more people
to get involved,” she said.
“It’s a welcoming envi-
ronment, the coaches are
great, and everyone is very
friendly.
“Diving is like any other
sport, if you have discipline,
determination and commit-
ment you will achieve your
goals.”
Diving Sunraysia holds
training sessions at Mildura
Waves every Monday and
Wednesday at 4.30pm, and
Sundays at 10am.
More information is
available by contacting Le-
anne on 0434 834 034 or by
visiting www.divingsunray-
sia.wordpress.com.
A pool of diving talent
in Sunraysia
• DIVE IN, THE WATER’S FINE: 1. Isobelle Mensforth ‘flies’ from the five-metre tower platform
and launches into a swallow dive. 2 . Kiera Batten goes into a twist dive from the top of the tower
at Mildura Waves. 3 . That’s Isobelle again, this time performing an inward dive from the three-
metre springboard. 4. Long-time Diving Sunraysia head coach Leanne Morgan believes diving
talent in the region is strong. 5. That water can be hard if you ‘hit’ it the wrong way, hence the
shut eyes and grimace as Isobelle prepares for her entry. Photos: DARREN SEILER
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